Providing consumers with incentives for healthy eating habits

ABSTRACT

A method, system, and program for providing consumer healthy habits incentives are provided. A consumable item, consumed by an individual, is detected. A health factor is detected for the consumable item. An electronic incentive is selected for the individual according to the health factor, such that the individual is encouraged to consume a healthy selection of consumable items. An electronic incentive may be further specified according to the personal health history, exercise history and consumption history of an individual.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to the following co-pendingapplications, incorporated herein by reference:

-   (1) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010695US1);-   (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010696US1);-   (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010697US1);-   (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010698US1);-   (5) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010699US1);-   (6) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010700US1);-   (7) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010701US1);-   (8) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010702US1);-   (9) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010703US1);-   (10) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010704US1);-   (11) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010706US1);-   (12) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010707US1); and-   (13) U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.    AUS920010708US1).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates in general to computer systems and, inparticular, to encouraging healthy food habits utilizing computersystems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates toproviding electronic incentives for consuming healthy foods.

2. Description of the Related Art

Research continues to show that consumption of healthful foods candecrease chances of acquiring adverse health conditions during life. Forexample, a diet high in fiber may decrease chances of cancer, organdeterioration, and other digestive diseases.

In particular, where a person is genetically prone to certain adversehealth conditions, diet may prolong or stop the onset of the certainadverse health conditions. For example, a person genetically prone tohypoglycemia may reduce the chances of onset by consuming a reducedsugar diet. In another example, a person genetically prone to cancer mayconsume a diet high in vitamins and vegetables to reduce the chances ofcancer.

Particularly since the contents of each food item is required by law tobe available to consumers, restaurants and food manufacturers continueto provide consumers with more healthy food choices. However, even withhealthy food choices, there is little incentive beyond personal healthto make such choices.

Health insurance companies and governments that subsidize health carecosts encourage citizens to choose a healthy diet and to exercise toattempt to reduce future health care costs. However, it is difficult forhealth insurance companies and governments to provide any incentive tocitizens to choose healthy diets and exercise, beyond the incentive ofbetter health.

In view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method,system, and program for encouraging healthy habits by providingincentives for healthy food purchases. In particular, it would beadvantageous to provide a method, system, and program for authorities toprovide electronic amount incentives to consumers for healthy foodpurchases. Further, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageousto provide a method, system, and program where preferred health isuniquely determined for each consumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved computer system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method,system and program for encouraging healthy food habits utilizingcomputer systems.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method,system and program for providing electronic incentives for consuminghealthy foods.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a consumable item,consumed by an individual, is detected. A health factor is detected forthe consumable item. An electronic incentive is selected for theindividual according to the health factor, such that the individual isencouraged to consume a healthy selection of consumable items. Theelectronic incentive may be further specified according to the personalhealth history, exercise history and consumption history of anindividual.

All objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent in the following detailed written description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are setforth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as apreferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will bestbe understood by reference to the following detailed description of anillustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of a computer system with which themethod, system and program of the present invention may advantageouslybe utilized;

FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a client/serverenvironment in which promoting and controlling healthy food consumptionmay be performed in accordance with the method, system and program ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of multiple types of servers and clientsthat may be utilized to promote and control healthful food consumptionin accordance with the method, system, and program of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of a healthful food incentive systemin accordance with the method, system, and program of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 depicts a consumable item health index database in accordancewith the method, system, and program of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an incentive standards database in accordance withthe method, system, and program of the present invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a high level logic flowchart of a process and program fordetermining incentives for healthful foods in accordance with themethod, system, and program of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a high level logic flowchart of a process and programfor providing incentives for healthful food item purchases in accordancewith the method, system, and program of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A method, system, and program for providing electronic incentives forhealthy food consumption are provided. For purposes of the presentinvention, electronic incentives may include, but are not limited to,deductions, vouchers, rebates, electronic coupons, and tax incentives.In addition, for purposes of the present invention, food may includeconsumable items selected from fresh, packaged, and prepared foods frommarkets, restaurants, and other food purveyors. Further, otherconsumable items, such as medications, may be included. Healthy food, inthe present invention, may be designated according to standards providedby an authority, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Healthyfood is preferably further specified according to each consumer'spersonal health. Consumption of healthy food may be monitored, forexample, according to food purchases, food discarded, and food indicatedby a consumer to have been eaten. Moreover, whether a food item isconsidered healthy may vary according to the time of day the food itemis consumed and according to the other food items consumed within aparticular period of time.

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding ofthe present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled inthe art that the present invention may be practiced without thesespecific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devicesare shown in block diagram form to avoid unnecessarily obscuring thepresent invention.

Hardware Overview

The present invention may be executed in a variety of systems, includinga variety of computing systems and electronic devices under a number ofdifferent operating systems. In one embodiment of the present invention,the computing system includes a portable computing system such as anotebook computer, a palmtop computer, a personal digital assistant, atelephone or other electronic computing system that may also incorporatecommunications features that provide for telephony, enhanced telephony,messaging and information services. However, the computing system mayalso include, for example, a desktop computer, a network computer, amidrange computer, a server system or a mainframe computer. Therefore,in general, the present invention is preferably executed in a computersystem that performs computing tasks such as manipulating data instorage that is accessible to the computer system. In addition, thecomputer system preferably includes at least one output device and atleast one input device.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, there isdepicted one embodiment of a computer system with which the method,system and program of the present invention may advantageously beutilized. Computer system 10 comprises a bus 22 or other communicationdevice for communicating information within computer system 10, and atleast one processing device such as processor 12, coupled to bus 22 forprocessing information. Bus 22 preferably includes low-latency andhigh-latency paths that are connected by bridges and controlled withincomputer system 10 by multiple bus controllers.

Processor 12 may be a general-purpose processor such as IBM's PowerPC™processor that, during normal operation, processes data under thecontrol of operating system and application software stored in a dynamicstorage device such as random access memory (RAM) 14 and a staticstorage device such as Read Only Memory (ROM) 16. The operating systempreferably provides a graphical user interface (GUI) to the user. In apreferred embodiment, application software contains machine executableinstructions that when executed on processor 12 carry out the operationsdepicted in the flowcharts of FIGS. 7, 8, and others described herein.Alternatively, the steps of the present invention might be performed byspecific hardware components that contain hardwire logic for performingthe steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components andcustom hardware components.

The present invention may be provided as a computer program product,included on a machine-readable medium having stored thereon the machineexecutable instructions used to program computer system 10 to perform aprocess according to the present invention. The term “machine-readablemedium” as used herein includes any medium that participates inproviding instructions to processor 12 or other components of computersystem 10 for execution. Such a medium may take many forms including,but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmissionmedia. Common forms of non-volatile media include, for example, a floppydisk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, magnetic tape or any other magneticmedium, a compact disc ROM (CD-ROM) or any other optical medium, punchcards or any other physical medium with patterns of holes, aprogrammable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically EPROM(EEPROM), a flash memory, any other memory chip or cartridge, or anyother medium from which computer system 10 can read and which issuitable for storing instructions. In the present embodiment, an exampleof non-volatile media is storage device 18. Volatile media includesdynamic memory such as RAM 14. Transmission media includes coaxialcables, copper wire or fiber optics, including the wires that comprisebus 22. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or lightwaves, such as those generated during radio wave or infrared datacommunications.

Moreover, the present invention may be downloaded as a computer programproduct, wherein the program instructions may be transferred from aremote computer such as a server 39 to requesting computer system 10 byway of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagationmedium via a network link 34 (e.g., a modem or network connection) to acommunications interface 32 coupled to bus 22. Communications interface32 provides a two-way data communications coupling to network link 34that may be connected, for example, to a local area network (LAN), widearea network (WAN), or as depicted herein, directly to an InternetService Provider (ISP) 37. In particular, network link 34 may providewired and/or wireless network communications to one or more networks.

ISP 37 in turn provides data communication services through the Internet38 or other network. Internet 38 may refer to the worldwide collectionof networks and gateways that use a particular protocol, such asTransmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP), tocommunicate with one another. ISP 37 and Internet 38 both useelectrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital oranalog data streams. The signals through the various networks and thesignals on network link 34 and through communication interface 32, whichcarry the digital or analog data to and from computer system 10, areexemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information.

Further, multiple peripheral components may be added to computer system10. For example, an audio output 28 is attached to bus 22 forcontrolling audio output through a speaker or other audio projectiondevice. A display 24 is also attached to bus 22 for providing visual,tactile or other graphical representation formats. A keyboard 26 andcursor control device 30, such as a mouse, trackball, or cursordirection keys, are coupled to bus 22 as interfaces for user inputs tocomputer system 10. In alternate embodiments of the present invention,additional input and output peripheral components may be added.

Networking Overview

With reference now to FIG. 2, there is depicted a simplified blockdiagram of a client/server environment in which promoting andcontrolling healthy food consumption may be performed in accordance withthe method, system and program of the present invention. Theclient/server environment is implemented within multiple networkarchitectures. For example, the architecture of the World Wide Web (theWeb) follows a traditional client/server modeled environment.

The terms “client” and “server” are used to refer to a computer'sgeneral role as a requester of data (the client) or provider of data(the server). In the Web environment, web browsers such as NetscapeNavigator typically reside on client system 40 a-40 n and render Webdocuments (pages) served by server systems 42 a-42 n. Additionally, eachof client systems 40 a-40 n and server systems 42 a-42 n may function asboth a “client” and a “server” and may be implemented utilizing acomputer system such as computer system 10 of FIG. 1.

The Web may refer to the total set of interlinked hypertext documentsresiding on servers all around the world. Network 44, such as theInternet, provides an infrastructure for transmitting these hypertextdocuments between server systems 42 a-42 n and client systems 40 a-40 n.Documents (pages) on the Web may be written in multiple languages, suchas Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or Extensible Markup Language (XML),and identified by Uniform Resource Indicators (URIs) that specify theparticular server and pathname by which a file can be accessed, and thentransmitted from that server to an end user utilizing a protocol such asHypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Web pages may further include text,graphic images, movie files, and sounds as well as Java applets andother small embedded software programs that execute when the useractivates them by clicking on a link.

It is advantageous in the present invention to utilize both wireless andwired network connections to network 44. Wireless network connectionsmay be implemented utilizing Bluetooth™ or other radio frequencybroadcasting. Advantageously, whether wireless or wired networkconnections are utilized, multiple types of encryption security featuresmay be utilized to protect transmission of personal health informationand incentives, as will be understood by one skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is depicted a block diagram of multipletypes of servers and clients that may be utilized to promote and controlhealthful food consumption in accordance with the method, system, andprogram of the present invention. As illustrated, multiple client andserver elements 50 are divided according to category. In the presentembodiment categories include, but are not limited to, participants 52,transfer controllers 62, and authorities 72.

Participants 52 advantageously include all levels of people, businesses,and corporations involved in food production, sales and consumption. Inthe present embodiment, participants 52 include, but are not limited to,a buyer client 54, a retailer server 56, a distributor server 58, and amanufacturer server 60. Buyer client 54 advantageously represents asystem for monitoring food purchases and food consumption. Retailerserver 56, distributor server 58, and manufacturer server 60advantageously monitor the purchase of consumable items sold byretailers, distributors and manufacturers.

Transfer controllers 62 advantageously include all levels of controllersthat may be provided for transferring, storing and recording monetaryincentives for healthful food consumption for at least one ofparticipants 52. In the present embodiment, transfer controllers 62include, but are not limited to, a micropayment server 64, apeer-to-peer payment server 66, an employer payroll server 68, and arecordkeeping database server 70. Micropayment server 64 advantageouslyincludes an accounting system for internal monetary incentives that arespendable by a consumer for products and services offered by theauthority granting the incentive. Peer-to-peer payment server 66advantageously includes an accounting system for external electronicincentives that are spendable by a consumer for products and servicesoffered external to the authority granting the incentive. Recordkeepingdatabase server 70 advantageously monitors all transfers of electronicincentives for healthful food consumption.

Employer payroll server 68 advantageously includes an accounting systemfor employee pay that may be supplemented with electronic incentives forhealthful food consumption. In particular, employers are finding thatpaying for preventative measures, such as health plans that provideannual health check-ups, pay for themselves in a reduction of sick daysand health issues. According to one advantage of the present invention,employers may pay for a health plan that provides incentives, to theemployer and/or directly to the employee, for healthy food consumption.

Authorities 72 advantageously include all levels of government, policysetting groups, and health care insurance providers that set policy andstandards for healthful foods and provide electronic incentives inresponse to healthful food consumption by at least one of participants52. In the present example, authorities 72 specifically includes agovernment server 74, a health insurance provider server 76, and apolicy server 78. Government server 74 preferably designates healthyfood standards by governmental groups, such as the Food and DrugAdministration (FDA). Health insurance provider server 76 preferablydesignates health food standards for health insurance providers. Policyserver 78 preferably designates health food standards by other policysetting groups, such as university scientists that study nutrition.

Healthy Habit Incentive Context

With reference now to FIG. 4, there is depicted a block diagram of ahealthful food incentive system in accordance with the method, system,and program of the present invention. As illustrated, multiple clientand server systems are communicatively connected via network 44.

A consumer server 100 preferably monitors food purchases by consumers.In the example, purchase controller 102 monitors which consumer ispurchasing which food items. Purchase controller 102 also controlsstorage of purchase records according to consumer in a consumable itemdatabase 104. Advantageously, each consumer may be identified accordingto an alphanumeric, graphical, or other distinguishable indicator.

In addition, purchase controller 102 controls transmission of foodpurchase records to a consumable item health index server 110.Consumable item health index server 110 may return monetary incentivesfor the food item to consumer server 100. Purchase controller 102 mayapply the incentive automatically to a cost for the food item or maydisplay the type of incentive and amount to the consumer where theincentive is to be applied later.

In particular, as purchase decisions are being made, whether in theaisle where food is placed or in a restaurant, the consumer ispreferably provided with a display or other output that compares fooditems. In particular, consumer server 100 preferably includes aninput/output (I/O) device 108 that displays comparisons of products forconsumers while purchase decisions are being made. In addition, apersonal food monitoring system 130 may request health indexes accordingto a product identifier and compare multiple product health indexes fora consumer.

According to a further advantage of the present invention, foodretailers may pre-request, for food items in stock, some types ofelectronic incentives that are provided for healthful productsindependent of the actual consumer. Pre-requested incentives may bestored in consumable item incentives database 106 according to food itemand made available when the associated food item is purchased.

In particular, consumer server 100 may include additional peripherals,such as a scanner, that detect an identifier for a food item andtransmit that identifier to consumer server 100. Further,advantageously, food items may include a scannable identifier thatidentifies an instant incentive to be returned to the consumer fromconsumer server 100. Where an instant incentive is provided to aconsumer from consumer server 100, a record of the incentive ispreferably stored in consumable item incentives database 106 and arequest for the incentive to be redeemed is transmitted to the authorityproviding the incentive, such as consumable item health index server110.

A personal food monitoring system 130 preferably monitors the foodintake of a consumer by monitoring the types of meals ordered, therecipes utilized for meals, and by receiving inputs from the consumer asto what food items were eaten. First, personal food monitoring system130 may monitor the food items purchased by consumers at restaurants andstore the food orders within a purchase database 136. In addition, aconsumer may access a recipe or store recipes within personal foodmonitoring system 130 wherein the food items included in a recipe arestored within consumption database 134 when a consumer indicates thatthe recipe has been utilized to make a meal. Further, a list of fooditems purchased by a consumer at a market are advantageously transmittedfrom consumer server 100 to personal food monitoring system 130 andstored in purchase database 136. A consumer may then select from thelist of purchased items to indicate when the consumer consumes the item;a record of the consumption of a food item is stored in consumptiondatabase 134.

Additional peripherals may be associated with personal food monitoringsystem 130 that allow for monitoring food consumption. For example, ascale detects a type of food item being weighed and the weight thereofsuch that personal food monitoring system 130 may monitor theconsumption of home-grown food items.

Further, personal food monitoring system 130 may include features forfood monitoring as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______(Attorney Docket No. AUS000035US1), U.S. patent application Ser. No.______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS000037US1), U.S. patent application Ser.No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS990845US1), U.S. patent applicationSer. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS990846US1), and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS990847US1), hereinincorporated by reference.

Moreover, personal food monitoring system 130 may include features forhealth and exercise monitoring as described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS000021US1), U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS000022US1), U.S.patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No. AUS000023US1),U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket No.AUS000024US1), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (AttorneyDocket No. AUS000025US1), herein incorporated by reference. For example,personal food monitoring system 130 may monitor health attributes of aconsumer, such as pulse, blood pressure, secretion, perspiration,weight, body fat, stress, carpal movement, distance, respiration,glucose level, and other indicators of health or well being. Inaddition, personal food monitoring system 130 may monitor exerciseperformed by a consumer by monitoring health attributes and receivingindicators from exercise equipment as to the intensity of exercise.

Advantageously, personal food monitoring system 130 may remain connectedto network 44 or may periodically connect to network 44 to exchangeinformation via network 44 with consumer server 100, consumable itemhealth index server 110 and transfer controller 120.

Personal food monitoring system 130 may transmit food consumptionindications according to restaurant purchases, recipe items, and otherfood consumption indications to consumable item health index server 110.Consumable item health index server 110 advantageously may returnelectronic incentives or records of electronic incentives in response toa consumer's food consumption. Electronic incentives may be storedwithin a personal consumable item incentives database 138. Inparticular, where an incentive is a discount on future food itempurchases, such as an electronic coupon, the incentive is stored inpersonal consumable item incentives database 138 and may be transmittedto consumer server 100 or another server system for redemption.

Consumable item health index server 110 includes a consumable itemhealth index database 112 in which food items are specified according tohealth index components and the health index components are assignedvalues. For example, a slice of bread may be specified with a healthindex component of a grain with a value from 0 to 10, depending on thekind of bread.

In addition, consumable item health index server 110 includes anincentive standards database 114 that includes generic healthful foodstandards. In particular, health index values are assigned incentives.Where the government is providing rebates, electronic coupons, or otherincentives for healthful food purchases, incentive standards database114 preferably sets the standards for such incentives.

In particular, incentive standards may be specified according to anindividual consumer or groups of consumers. In particular, whereincentive standards are specified by a private entity, such as a healthinsurance provider, the health and exercise information of individualconsumers may be kept private and only utilized to determine incentives,not to prohibit a consumer from making purchases, receiving insurance,or other forms of discrimination based on health. Governments and otherpolicy setting groups preferably specify incentive standards accordingto groups of consumers, such as groups according to age or healthfactors.

Health preferences and limitations may be determined according to anindividual consumer or group of consumer by analyzing individual healthhistories, family health histories, food intake, exercise routines,medications, and other health related factors in addition to multipledietary plans to determine dietary preferences and limitations. Further,incentive standards may be time dependent, such that incentives aregreater for consumption of a particular food item during a designatedlunch time and less for consumption of the particular food item duringother periods of time.

Additionally, incentive standards may include food consumptionthresholds, where after a consumer has consumed beyond the foodconsumption threshold, incentives are adjusted and may become negativeincentives. For example, where a consumer is allowed a particular numberof calories each day, negative incentives may be given for consumptionbeyond the threshold of calories, unless additional exercise or medicalproblems necessitate an increase in daily calories.

Records of food items that have been purchased, prepared, and consumedby a particular consumer are received at consumable item health indexserver 110 to determine whether an incentive is available. Health indexincentive analysis controller 116 determines a health index for a fooditem from consumable item health index database 112 and then determinesif an incentive is available according to the item's health index withinincentive standards database 114, where incentives are specifiedaccording to consumer by health information contained for each consumerin a personal health factor database 119. In particular, foodconsumption, health attributes, and exercise indicators for eachconsumer may be received from personal food monitoring system 130 oranother monitoring system, and stored in personal health factor database119. For example, a consumer with high blood pressure indicated inpersonal health factor database 119 will receive incentives to consumeitems that are low in salt.

Incentives may be transmitted to consumer server 100 for immediateredemption or personal food monitoring system for future redemption.Further, records of incentives may be stored in individual incentivesdatabase 118 according to consumer for future redemption or use.

In particular, incentives may be in small monetary unit increments, suchthat a single incentive may not adjust food or health insurance costs bymuch, but accumulated over time the incentives will adjust costs by moredefinable amounts. For example, an incentive of 10 cents may not besignificant enough for a consumer to choose a healthy food over a lesshealthy one. However, a health insurance provider may provide a yearlyincentive of a reduced insurance rate for achieving a particular yearlycumulative incentive amount. In particular, where a health insuranceadjustment is provided and an employer pays for insurance, the healthinsurance provider may transfer an incentive to an employer payrollserver to supplement the income of an employee in response to healthfulfood choices by that employee. Additionally, the company may offer anincentive through the employer payroll server for healthful foodchoices.

Advantageously, a transfer controller 120 includes an account database122 for storing electronic incentives according to consumer and anaccount controller for controlling input to and output from accountdatabase 122. Transfer controller 120 may provide an internal storageaccount for incentives, such as those incentives provided by a healthcare provider that may be redeemed for adjustments in health care costs.Alternatively, transfer controller 120 may provide an external storageaccount for incentives, such as those incentives provided by anauthority, that may be spent by the consumer on external products andservices. Further, transfer controller 120 may be provided as anemployer payroll server to which incentives may be transferred to add toemployee pay before or after taxes.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a consumable item healthindex database in accordance with the method, system, and program of thepresent invention. As illustrated, a consumable item health indexdatabase 112 includes a consumable item that is broken down into healthindex components and values. In the present example, health indexcomponents for “frozen dinner A” includes grains, meat, dairy, andvegetables. In alternate embodiments, alternate types of health indexcomponents may be included. In addition, health index components mayinclude unhealthy component ratings, such as unhealthy fats.

Health index breakdowns may be assigned by a government agency, privateentity, consumer, retailer, distributor or manufacturer. Currently, anyfood purveyor is responsible for providing nutritional information aboutthe product. Such information may be stored in database 112 forreference.

With reference now to FIG. 6, there is depicted an incentive standardsdatabase in accordance with the method, system, and program of thepresent invention. An incentive standards database 114 includes healthindex incentives associated with individual consumer or groups ofconsumers. For example, an incentive for adults over a particular agemay be distinguished from an incentive of children under a particularage.

In the present example, grain index between 8 and 10 are given anincentive of 0.25. Incentive amounts may represent monetary amounts,percentages, cumulative amounts, and other units. For example, whereincentives are cumulative amounts, a consumer may accumulate aparticular level of cumulative amounts to receive a discount or othermonetary incentive.

Advantageously, multiple authorities and private entities may access asingle consumable item health index server to provide incentives. Thus,each of the authorities and private entities may utilize the healthindexes to determine incentives.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a high level logicflowchart of a process and program for determining incentives forhealthful foods in accordance with the method, system, and program ofthe present invention. As depicted, the process starts at block 180 andthereafter proceeds to block 182.

Block 182 depicts a determination as to whether or not a consumable itemincentive request is received. If a request is not received, then theprocess iterates at block 182. If a request is received, then theprocess passes to block 184.

Block 184 illustrates looking up a health index for the consumable item.Next, block 186 depicts analyzing the health index according toincentive standards for the consumer or type of consumer; and theprocess passes to block 188.

Block 188 depicts a determination as to whether or not an incentive forthe consumable item is available. If an incentive is not available, thenthe process ends. If an incentive is available, then the process passesto block 190.

Block 190 illustrates recording the incentive according to the consumeror requester. Next, block 192 depicts transferring the incentiveaccording to type of incentive to the appropriate system; and theprocess ends. For example, cumulative incentives may be transferred to atransfer server to accumulate.

With reference now to FIG. 8, there is depicted a high level logicflowchart of a process and program for providing incentives forhealthful food item purchases in accordance with the method, system, andprogram of the present invention. As illustrated, the process starts atblock 200 and thereafter proceeds to block 202.

Block 202 depicts a determination as to whether or not a consumerpurchase of a consumable food item at a retailer or other food provideris detected. If a purchase is not detected, then the process iterates atblock 202. If a purchase is detected, then the process passes to block204. Block 204 illustrates recording a purchase of the item; and theprocess passes to block 206.

Block 206 illustrates a determination as to whether or not an incentiveis stored locally for the item. Incentives may be retrieved by aretailer for food products to speed up the transfer of incentives at thepoint of sale. If an incentive is not locally stored for the item, thenthe process passes to block 212. If an incentive is stored for the item,then the process passes to block 208.

Block 212 depicts transmitting the consumable item identifier to theincentive server. Next, block 214 illustrates a determination as towhether or not an incentive is available for the item. If an incentiveis not available, then the process ends. If an incentive is available,then the process passes to block 208.

Block 208 illustrates adjusting the purchase price according to theincentive. Next, block 210 illustrates recording the consumer to whomthe incentive is given; and the process ends.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method for encouraging healthy habits, comprising: detecting, usingat least one computer system, a particular consumable item accessible toan individual for potential consumption; determining, at the at leastone computer system, a plurality of separate health index values eachassociated with a separate one of a plurality of health index componentsfor consumption of the particular consumable item; and outputting, bythe at least one computer system, the plurality of separate health indexvalues.
 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:selecting, at the at least one computer system, at least one electronicincentive for the individual based on the plurality of separate healthindex values matching at least one health index value requirementspecified in a database of electronic incentives; and outputting the atleast one electronic incentive.
 3. The method according to claim 1,wherein outputting, by the at least one computer system, the pluralityof separate health index values, further comprises: calculating, by theat least one computer system, at least one electronic incentive based onthe plurality of separate health index values; and outputting theplurality of separate health index values as represented by the at leastone electronic incentive.
 4. The method according to claim 1, furthercomprising: outputting, by the at least one computer system, theplurality of separate health index values converted into at least oneelectronic incentive, via a network, to an account provider system whichstores the electronic incentive in an electronic account for theindividual.
 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:outputting, by the at least one computer system, the plurality ofseparate health index values converted into at least one electronicincentive, via a network, to an account provider system whichautomatically redeems the at least one electronic incentive to reduce apurchase price.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting,using at least one computer system, a particular consumable itemaccessible to an individual for potential consumption, furthercomprises: detecting, using at the least one computer system, aparticular consumable item purchased by an individual for potentialconsumption.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting,using at least one computer system, a particular consumable itemaccessible to an individual for potential consumption, furthercomprises: detecting, at the at least one computer system, from ascanner system for a vendor that scans and identifies the particularconsumable item, an identifier for the particular consumable item.
 8. Asystem for encouraging healthy habits by an individual, the systemcomprising: at least one computer system operative to detect aparticular consumable item accessible to an individual for potentialconsumption; the at least one computer system operative to determine aplurality of separate health index values each associated with aseparate one of a plurality of health index components for consumptionof the particular consumable item; and the at least one computer systemoperative to output the plurality of separate health index values. 9.The system according to claim 8, further comprising: the at least onecomputer system operative to select at least one electronic incentivefor the individual based on the plurality of separate health indexvalues matching at least one health index value requirement specified ina database of electronic incentives; and the at least one computersystem operative to output the at least one electronic incentive. 10.The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one computersystem operative to output the plurality of separate health indexvalues, further comprises: the at least one computer system operative tocalculate at least one electronic incentive based on the plurality ofseparate health index values; and the at least one computer systemoperative to output the plurality of separate health index values asrepresented by the at least one electronic incentive.
 11. The systemaccording to claim 8, further comprising: the at least one computersystem operative to output the plurality of separate health index valuesconverted into at least one electronic incentive, via a network, to anaccount provider system which stores the electronic incentive in anelectronic account for the individual.
 12. The system according to claim8, further comprising: the at least one computer system operative tooutput the plurality of separate health index values converted into atleast one electronic incentive, via a network, to an account providersystem which automatically redeems the at least one electronic incentiveto reduce a purchase price.
 13. The system according to claim 8, whereinthe at least one computer system operative to detect a particularconsumable item accessible to an individual for potential consumption,further comprises: the at least one computer system operative to detecta particular consumable item purchased by an individual for potentialconsumption.
 14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at leastone computer system operative to detect a particular consumable itemaccessible to an individual for potential consumption, furthercomprises: the at least one computer system operative to detect, from ascanner system for a vendor that scans and identifies the particularconsumable item, an identifier for the particular consumable item.
 15. Acomputer program product for encouraging healthy habits by anindividual, residing on a tangible storage device comprisinginstructions which when executed by a computer system cause the computersystem to: detect a particular consumable item accessible to anindividual for potential consumption; determine a plurality of separatehealth index values each associated with a separate one of a pluralityof health index components for consumption of the particular consumableitem; and output the plurality of separate health index values.
 16. Thecomputer program product according to claim 15, the instructions whichwhen executed on a computer system further causing the computer systemto: select at least one electronic incentive for the individual based onthe plurality of separate health index values matching at least onehealth index value requirement specified in a database of electronicincentives; and output the at least one electronic incentive.
 17. Thecomputer program product according to claim 15, the instructions whichwhen executed on a computer system further causing the computer systemto: calculate at least one electronic incentive based on the pluralityof separate health index values; and output the plurality of separatehealth index values as represented by the at least one electronicincentive.
 18. The computer program product according to claim 15, theinstructions which when executed on a computer system further causingthe computer system to: output the plurality of separate health indexvalues converted into at least one electronic incentive, via a network,to an account provider system which stores the electronic incentive inan electronic account for the individual.
 19. The computer programproduct according to claim 15, the instructions which when executed on acomputer system further causing the computer system to: output theplurality of separate health index values converted into at least oneelectronic incentive, via a network, to an account provider system whichautomatically redeems the at least one electronic incentive to reduce apurchase price.